A 76-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of administering poison after eight children at a summer camp were taken to hospital.
Police and ambulance crews were deployed to the rural camp in Stathern, Leicestershire, after a report that a number of children had said they were unwell.
The initial call was made on Sunday by a “third party”, Leicestershire police said, but emergency services were deployed the next day.
A triage centre was set up at the nearby Plungar village hall to assess the children who were at the camp. Eight children were then taken to hospital as a precaution, with all of them subsequently discharged.
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Police said a man (76) had been arrested at the camp on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy. The man remains in custody.
A police spokesperson said the force had referred itself to the watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), “due to the circumstances of the initial police response”.
The investigation is being led by an East Midlands major incident team. DI Neil Holden, the senior investigating officer, said it was a “complex and sensitive” case.
He said: “We understand the concern this incident will have caused to parents, guardians and the surrounding community. We are in contact with the parents and guardians of all children concerned. Please be reassured that we have several dedicated resources deployed and are working with partner agencies, including children’s services, to ensure full safeguarding is provided to the children involved.
“We also remain at the scene to carry out inquiries into the circumstances of what has happened and to continue to provide advice and support in the area.
“This is a complex and sensitive investigation and we will continue to provide updates to both parents and guardians and the public as and when we can.”
The force said both detectives and uniformed officers from the Melton and Rutland neighbourhood policing area were still in Stathern carrying out further inquiries and to establish the circumstances of the incident. They were also “providing reassurance to families affected as well as the local community”. - The Guardian
